Title: William Howard Lawrence Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1936-1972

Creator:

• Lawrence, William Howard, 1916-1972

Call Number: U.S. Mss 191AF

Quantity: 0.6 c.f. (2 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of a reporter whose journalistic career spanned forty years during which he primarily covered national affairs for the New York Times and ABC News, and was best known for his coverage of presidential campaigns. The papers consist of correspondence with Barry Goldwater, Bill Moyers, Frank Stanton, and other business and political associates; clippings of Lawrence's articles for the Times; transcripts of his ABC News broadcasts which include interviews with President John F. Kennedy, John W. McCormack, George Meaney, and Earl Warren; speeches and writings including the final manuscript of his Six Presidents, Too Many Wars and information about Lawrence written by other journalists.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0191af

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1916, January 29	Born, Lincoln, Nebraska, Son of Edward H. and Daisy (Minner) Lawrence.
1932	Graduated from Lincoln (Nebraska) High School.
	Professional career began as reporter with Lincoln (Nebraska) Star.
1933	Briefly attended University of Nebraska.
	Joined Associated Press in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska.
	Reporter for Omaha (Nebraska) World Herald.
1936	Reporter for United Press in Chicago and Detroit.
1937	Reporter for UP in Washington, D.C.
1937	Married Elizabeth Currie (Divorce 1946) Children -- William E. and Anne E.
1941	Joined The New York Times.
	1943-45 --Moscow.
	1945 -- War correspondent in Pacific.
	1946 -- Organized United Nations Bureau of Times.
	1947-48 -- Chief correspondent for Balkan states and USSR.
	1948-61 --National Affairs reporter.
	1950-51 -- Covered Korean War.
	1951-61 -- White House correspondent.
1951	Married Constance McGregor (Divorce 1958)
1959	Became President of National Press Club.
1961	Joined ABC
	1961-65 -- White House Correspondent.
	1965-68 -- National Political editor.
	1968-72 -- National Affairs editor of “ABC News.”
1965	Won the George Foster Peabody Award for his outstanding reportorial work during the presidential campaign of 1964.
1966	Biggest News “beat” -- predicted that President Johnson would not seek reelection.
1967	Received Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary degree) from Grinnell College.
1971	Married Jacqueline Eidal (Divorce 1972)
1972	Publication of his book, Six Presidents, Too Many Wars.
1972 March 2	Died, New Hampshire.

This collection primarily documents Lawrence's career as a journalist. The materials are divided into five series. Within each series the records are arranged chronologically, whenever possible. The initial series, GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1949-72, contains Lawrence's correspondence with business and political associates, such as Barry Goldwater, Bill Moyers, and Frank Stanton. Some letters were written by his fiduciary, Paul A. Porter. A group of letters pertains to Lawrence's resignation from the Washington D. C., bureau of the Times. Also included are reviews of his book, Six Presidents, Too Many Wars, written to Lawrence and to his publisher. The small amount of personal correspondence includes cards, letters, and telegrams which pertain to his third marriage and to his hospitalization in 1970.

The second series, CLIPPINGS OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES WRITTEN BY LAWRENCE FOR THE TIMES, 1951-61, is divided into three subseries based on the events he reported. During WWII Lawrence covered the Pacific area; after the war he reported from Moscow, Poland, Algeria, Lebanon, and the Balkan States. He then covered the Korean War. During his last ten years with the Times, Lawrence reported on the political events in Washington, D. C. Included are Senator Joseph McCarthy's fight against communism; the 1952, 1956, and 1960 presidential elections; and White House and Congressional activities such as President Harry S Truman's dismissal of General Douglas MacArthur. Photocopies of the clippings have been retained in the collection for the convenience of the researcher. Many of the clippings are undated.

NEWS BROADCASTS FOR ABC NEWS, 1961-72, cover both ABC radio and television. Special News Programs include “Who in '68?” and year end reviews for 1966, 1967, and 1969. Also included are ABC news interviews with President John F. Kennedy, John W. McCormack, George Meany, and Earl Warren. The series also has some of Lawrence's transcripts from his radio and television news reports.

SPEECHES, INTERVIEWS AND WRITINGS, 1958-72, include the speeches Lawrence made to various groups: lawyers, district attorneys, the 1971 graduates of Lincoln High School, and the University of Nebraska. The speech to this last group was a 1958 James E. Lawrence memorial lecture. James Lawrence was a professor of journalism at the University and a former editor of the Lincoln Star. Also included are the final transcript of his book, undated short stories, an article for TV Guide about President John F. Kennedy's press conferences, an essay on the eighteen-year-old vote, and Columbia University's oral history project -- a 1968 interview of Lawrence on the subject of the Eisenhower administration.

Other journalists wrote about Lawrence, criticizing and defending him. These articles, though few in number, are included in the last series, INFORMATION ABOUT LAWRENCE. Some biographical information, though limited, is provided. Also included are articles which pertain to Lawrence's tenure as president of the National Press Club.

MISCELLANY is a heterogeneous group of materials including a program of the 1967 convocation at Grinnell College where Lawrence received the Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree. Filed here also are a summary of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, a chronological history of the General Motors strike (1936-37) which Lawrence covered, an unidentified index, and an undated itinerary for General Douglas MacArthur.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Anne E. Lawrence, New York, N.Y., 1980. Accession Number: MCHC80-054

Processing Information

Processed by Carolyn Mankell and Joanne Hohler, March 1982.

	General Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1	Professional, 1949-72
Box   1 Folder   2	Personal, 1953-72
	Clippings of Newspaper Articles Written by Lawrence for the Times
Box   1 Folder   3	World War II (Pacific area) and post WWII (Balkan states, Eastern Europe, and Middle East), 1941-49
Box   1 Folder   4	Korean War, 1950
	Washington, D.C.
Box   1 Folder   5	McCarthy, Senator Joseph R., ca. 1954
	Presidential elections
Box   1 Folder   6	1952 and 1956
Box   1 Folder   7	1960
Box   1 Folder   8	White House and Congressional activities, ca. 1952-61
	News Broadcasts for ABC News -- Radio and Television
Box   1 Folder   9	Special news programs and interviews, 1961-72
Box   1 Folder   10	Transcripts of news reports, 1964-72
	Speeches, Interviews, and Writings
Box   1 Folder   11	Speeches, addresses, and interviews, 1958-71
Box   2 Folder   1	Manuscript, essays, and short stories, 1963-72
Box   2 Folder   2	Information About Lawrence, 1953-72
Box   2 Folder   3	Miscellany, 1936-72